SACRIFICES OF PRAISE

A sacrifice is what you give that will cost you. You don’t give a sacrifice while smiling. It hurts to see your very best being given away. A sacrifice is what you let go of to please God; it is what shows God that you are serious about Him. It is literally the giving up of one's self to God.

Praise is the offspring of a heart that has tasted and seen that the Lord is worthy to be glorified. It is the expression of gratitude in terms too deep for words. It is pure adoration of the One whom we love.

We must note that not all sacrifices are acceptable before God. Before any sacrifice can be accepted it must meet God's requirements and standards. May the Holy Spirit enlighten us as we unveil the scripture to find out the proper way to offer praises to God.

Hebrews 13:15 "By Him therefore let us offer sacrifices of praise to God continually, that is the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His name… For with such sacrifices God is well pleased."

MEDIUM OF OFFERING

"BY HIM…" by whom should we give Gods praise? By Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of the Father. Jesus Himself declared that no man can come to the Father except through Him. It is by the way of Christ that we can approach the throne Of our heavenly father, the Holies of Holies, the secret place of the Most High… how can we give to God sacrifices when we cannot approach Him? God has no dealings with sinners. We are all sinners, unworthy to come before the most holy God, unfit to offer our insignificant dung and with filthy hands and hearts at that! Jesus shed His blood at Calvary so that we may gain access into God's Presence. "Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the Blood of Jesus… Let us draw near with a full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water." Hebrews 10:19,22.

 When you are about to worship God, wherever you may be, remember to come by the Key.

"Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise: be thankful unto Him, and bless his name." Psalm 100:4

LET US…

The bible says, "LET US…" The word of God specifies the category of people from whose hands the Lord will receive praise. We, His children, the sheep of His pasture, the predestinated, the elect, joint heirs with Christ, all the saints of God… we are the qualified candidates to offer unto God acceptable sacrifices. In the old testament, which was but a shadow or prototype of the New, Aaron and His sons were the ones to offer the sacrifices in the temple. Even when they (Nadab and Abihu) offered strange fire on God's altar, God struck them in His wrath and they died ( see…Numbers 26:61)

"But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvellous light" 1 Peter 2:9.

Seeing therefore that we have been for this purpose called and ordained, let us awaken from our slumber, put on the mantle of humility and come offering sweet incense of praise to our God.

WHAT?

"THE SACRIFICES OF PRAISE… THE FRUIT OF OUR LIPS" There can be no sacrifice unless there is shedding of blood and burning with fire. There can be no fruit unless a seed has been planted. This is why Jesus said in the book of John 12:24 " Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit."

For our praise to be acceptable before God, it must come from a believer that has died upon the altar of God and has resurrected with Christ. We should present our bodies as living sacrifices (Romans 12:1). We must bind ourselves with cords to the horns of the altar of God (Psalms 118:27). Our lips must be purified (though painfully) with coals of fire form the altar of God for we are indeed  people of unclean lips.

The fruit of the lips is created by God himself (Isaiah 57:19).

FREQUENCY OF OFFERING

"CONTINUALLY…"  The sacrifices must be offered continually, every day, non-stop, unceasingly, without time limit because this offering will continue far into eternity. Day and night, in good times and bad times, in sickness and in health; in times when it seems that the universe is working against you, know that God is working all things in your favor. Don't make your worship of God to be a conditional event - His love for you isn't. "God if you don’t get me this job which I so desperately need now, I don’t think I will keep worshipping you". "God if I fast and worship you today, it's only because I want to get married to this guy/lady". Let that stop. Learn to worship God for who He is and not for what He gives.

WHY?

Because the Father seeketh such to worship Him… John 4:23. Because such sacrifice is pleasing to Him. Because this is His due; He alone is worthy; to Him alone doth it pertain. (Jeremiah 10:7). Because this is why He made you - for His very pleasure.

"Thou art worthy, o Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created." Revelation 4:11

Let us therefore with hearts that have been sanctified, bring to God sweet sacrifice of praise.